General Attorney (General and Administrative Law) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. OPLA - 12782165 Department Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Salary $63,163.00 to $162,672.00 Grade 11 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/18/2025 Close Date 9/2/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

Join the dedicated legal team serving in the General and Administrative Law divisions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These teams are part of ICE's Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) and are hiring multiple attorneys for the position of Associate Legal Advisor (ALA) in Washington D.C.

Additional information about these exciting teams is available HERE.

These positions may offer up to $50,000 in signing and retention bonuses.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.

Duties

OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing nearly 2,000 attorneys nationwide. In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are 24 OPLA Field Locations in more than 60 cities throughout the United States. OPLA provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices. OPLA's Headquarters General and Administrative Law divisions advance ICE's homeland security and public safety mission by providing legal advice and prudential counsel to ICE personnel on a range of matters, such as employment, ethics, fiscal, contract, and information-disclosure law. These divisions also represent ICE before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Government Accountability Office and the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. Specifically, the Commercial & Administrative Law Division (CALD), the Government Information Law Division (GILD), the Ethics Office (EO), and the Labor and Employment Law Division (LELD) do the following:

CALD attorneys advise on procurement law, fiscal law, administrative law and suspension and debarment. They represent ICE in litigation in federal courts and before the Government Accountability Office, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, and various administrative bodies. They also serve as legal counsel to the Office of Acquisition Management, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the ICE Suspension and Debarment Official. In addition, CALD attorneys respond to a variety of fiscal, appropriations, and contract inquiries from ICE client components.

GILD attorneys advise all ICE program offices on matters relating to the disclosure of agency information, both within DHS and to external entities. Specifically, they support agency compliance with legal obligations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Privacy Act of 1974, the E-Government Act of 2002, the Federal Records Act of 1950, and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. GILD adjudicates administrative FOIA appeals and assists U.S. Attorneys' Offices in defending information-related litigation under the FOIA and the Administrative Procedure Act. GILD attorneys also engage with local law enforcement about state sunshine laws and the disclosure of information, coordinate responses to agency requests for information, respond to congressional inquiries, and review ICE information-sharing agreements with external agencies.

EO attorneys provide legal advice, guidance, and training on a range of ethics issues, including criminal conflicts of interest, gifts, impartiality, misuse of position, outside employment and activities, and post-government employment. The EO also manages a substantial financial disclosure program; develops and delivers a proactive training program to all employees throughout the country; and oversees OPLA's management inquiry program, which investigates, and addresses misconduct allegations referred by ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility. The EO also operates a robust attorney professional conduct program that counsels OPLA attorneys as well as ICE and DHS personnel and provides training on professional conduct issues.

LELD attorneys provide guidance and training to ICE supervisors and managers on personnel management. This includes employee relations issues, such as conduct and performance, and labor relations issues, such as negotiating with bargaining units, responding to grievances, and litigating national-level arbitrations and unfair labor practice complaints. LELD also assists ICE managers with taking adverse actions and provides advice regarding Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints. LELD also represents ICE before the Merit Systems Protection Board and the EEO Commission and works with the U.S. Department of Justice to defend employment claims in federal courts.

Selected attorneys will immediately be given significant responsibilities and will be expected to craft persuasive, legally supportable positions to address the needs of agency operational components. Selected attorneys will be expected to routinely provide timely legal opinions to ICE officers and agents, division management, and leadership within OPLA, ICE, and the DHS Office of the General Counsel Headquarters.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must successfully pass a background investigation and drug screen for federal employment.
  • If you are a male born after 12/31/59, you must certify registration with the Selective Service.
  • You must have relevant experience (see How You Will Be Evaluated and Qualifications tabs).
  • You must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • You may be required to serve a two-year trial period, if the requirement has not been met.
  • You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Qualifications

Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on 09/02/2025. Please note that qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Applicants should be able to efficiently produce quality legal analyses of complex and novel issues, exercise sound legal judgment, prioritize competing assignments, and work effectively independently, as part of a team, and across work units. Applicants should be detail-oriented and have a strong interest in supporting and providing stellar client services to program offices, including law enforcement officers, policymakers, attorneys, and agency senior leadership, and must be able to tailor communications to a particular audience. Applicants should be able to take the initiative and work in a reliable, decisive, and professional manner.

Applicants should possess the following characteristics and competencies: integrity, sound professional judgment, organizational skills, decisiveness, initiative, stellar client services, the ability to function independently and cooperatively, and superior written and oral advocacy skills.

Bar Membership: You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 C.F.R. § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.

Education

Applicants must be graduates of an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LLM degree.

Additional information

Promotion Potential: This position has promotion potential to the GS-15. When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.

E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the Excepted Service; however, OPLA considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.

Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment.

Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment, you must complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation: DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo a background investigation and successfully obtain and maintain a security clearance at the Secret level as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and tax obligations, and a review of certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Drug Test: Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace. All applicants tentatively selected for employment are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative result.

A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required.

OPLA will ensure that applicants with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations when appropriate. If reasonable accommodation is required for any part of the application process, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.

One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12782165 and submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/02/2025 to receive consideration.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Required Documents

You must include all required documentation, as set forth below, with your application package before the closing date. No extensions will be granted. Failure to provide all of the required information as listed in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect your overall rating.

Cover Letter: Your cover letter must discuss your interest in the position; your pertinent knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience; and your personal characteristics and competencies that qualify you for the position as detailed in the Duties and Qualifications sections of this announcement. Your cover letter must also include your full name; home address; home or work e-mail address(es); phone number(s) where we may contact you (cell, work, and/or home); name of law school, year of graduation, and year admitted to the bar.

Applicants may apply for positions with one or more divisions and should indicate their order of preference in their cover letter.

Resume: Your resume must include your complete contact information (physical address, phone number, email address), work experience and education. For each work experience listed, please include job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, and starting and ending dates (MM/YY). Please indicate whether we may contact your current supervisor.

Bar Membership/Certificate of Good Standing: Submit a copy of your bar card, certificate of good standing, or other documentary evidence to prove that you are an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, a U.S. a territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

If you are a current or former federal employee: Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.

If you are a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information about your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Veterans' Preference Documentation (if applicable): You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.

You may be asked to provide a writing sample, and/or a copy of your recent performance appraisal.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12782165 and submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.

The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/02/2025 to receive consideration.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.

Agency contact information

MSD OPLA Staffing and Benefits

Next steps

You will receive an acknowledgement email confirmation once you have successfully submitted your application. Applications will be reviewed for completeness. Failure to provide all required documentation as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating. Eligible applicants will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration as vacancies become available. Highly qualified applicants may be contacted for an interview. If you are selected, you will receive a tentative offer. Upon acceptance, the drug test and the suitability/background investigation will be initiated.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and OMB plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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